Sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS is a sudden death in healthy infants under 1 year of age that occurs unexpectedly or without any symptoms. To protect your baby from this condition, you need to know the cause and how to prevent it.
SIDS generally occurs when the baby is sleeping due to not getting enough oxygen. This can be triggered by a variety of factors, ranging from the baby’s sleeping position with the physical condition of the baby who has not reached a certain stage of development or is indeed weak due to a congenital condition.
Risk factors of sudden infant death syndrome
Here are a number of factors that can increase the risk of SIDS in infants:
1. Sleep with the baby on the same bed or sofa
Sleeping with your baby in bed or on the same couch can increase your risk of SIDS. Because during sleep, you can shift, turn around, and fall on your baby without realizing it. Because of the baby’s tiny body, just a small pressure can interfere with his ability to breathe.
2. Baby sleeps on his stomach
The emphasis on the respiratory tract when the prone position causes the baby to have difficulty breathing normally, resulting in reduced oxygen supply to the brain. In this condition, the risk of SIDS will be much greater if the baby does not have the ability to return on his back from his stomach.
3. Conditions during pregnancy and birth
Babies born prematurely or who have a low birth weight are also at risk of SIDS. In both of these conditions, the baby’s nervous system is not fully mature at birth. As a result, the brain’s ability to control the process of breathing automatically is not perfect.
In addition, babies born to mothers younger than 20 years of age or do not exercise pregnancy control and have a family history of dying from SIDS are also at higher risk for SIDS.
4. Exposure to harmful substances
Babies who are exposed to cigarette smoke, alco**hol, and illegal drugs during the womb and after birth is also much more at risk of SIDS.
This is because the substances of these three ingredients can affect the development of the baby’s brain, so that after birth the baby’s breathing and moving response is weaker than it should be.
In addition to the above factors, babies who are under 4 months old, have respiratory tract infections, or overheat during sleep are also more at risk for SIDS.
Sudden infant death syndrome causes
The cause of SIDS is not yet known. However, there are allegations that this sudden death was caused by the following factors:
- Mutations or abnormalities in genes
- Disorders in the brain
- Low birth weight
- Lung infection.
Sudden infant death syndrome symptoms
SIDS occurs suddenly. Therefore, this condition does not show any symptoms. Babies who appear healthy and do not suffer from disease can also experience SIDS.
When to see a doctor
Be vigilant and check the baby to the doctor if his health condition decreases, especially if there are the following signs:
- Stop breathing suddenly
- Breathing appears fast accompanied by a pull (retraction) between the ribs
- Not waking up from sleep, even though it has been awakened
- Febrile seizures
- Excessive allergic reactions
- High body temperature, but cold feet and hands
- Body temperature remains high even though it has been given heat-lowering drugs
- The baby becomes quiet and lethargic even if the body temperature is not high
- The baby is difficult or unwilling to breastfeed.
Sudden infant death syndrome treatment
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.
What are my treatment options for sudden infant death syndrome?
Reducing the presence of risk factors can reduce the risk of this syndrome. Everyone who cares for a baby, including babysitters, day care providers, and grandparents, should learn about this syndrome. To prevent this syndrome, it can be done by:
Always place the baby on their back when sleeping, not their stomach or sides.
Avoid too many fluffy blankets, and avoid rooms with hot temperatures.
Use a solid mattress.
For the first 6 months, the baby should sleep in the crib in the parents’ room, but not in the parents’ bed.
A smoke-free environment is essential during pregnancy and for the survival of the baby in the first year.
Parents who feel the guilty need emotional support for the loss they are experiencing. Giving time to grieve and sincerely, it is important to do.
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